The present invention relates to storage shelf apparatus adapted to be suspended from an overhead structure such as a ceiling. The shelf is suspended by a plurality of tension lines and the weight of the storage shelf and its contents keep these tension lines taut to provide the stability for the overall suspended structure. The storage shelf embodying the present invention is intended for use in homes and offices for the same purposes as conventional storage shelf units are now used.
Conventional storage units or shelves commonly used in homes or offices fall into two general categories. The first includes storage units or shelves supported directly on a lower supporting surface, such as a floor. A bookcase is a good example of this first type. The second includes storage units or shelves which are mounted above floor level by mounting to the side of a supporting structure, such as to a wall by brackets.
One disadvantage of such conventional storage units is that access to the interior of the unit is restricted to one side only. That is, storage units supported directly on a floor usually are designed so that entry therein is possible only from the front. The back of the unit is usually closed or abuts against a wall, rendering access through the back surface impossible. Likewise, access to a storage unit mounted to a wall by brackets can only be made through the front of the unit.
In addition to the restriction on access into conventional storage units, there is a problem of stability. With respect to the storage units supported directly on a floor, the taller the unit, the less stable it becomes. Often the top of a tall bookcase is fastened to a wall to prevent its leaning or falling away from the wall. Regarding the type of storage units mounted to a wall by brackets, the higher the unit is, the less stable it will be. A larger number of increasingly stronger brackets and wall anchors are required to support taller wall-mounted storage units of the latter type.
Moreover, both types of known storage units are generally positioned in a remote area of a room. Those mounted on a wall must, by necessity, be adjacent to the wall. Those supported on the floor are usually placed at the side or in the corner of the room to avoid occupying the limited floor space in the center of the room. Furthermore, many storage units are unattractive, thereby providing a further incentive for placing them in a remote location.
The present invention provides a suspended storage shelf unit of attractive appearance in which access to the various storage areas defined therein is available from all sides of the unit. The storage unit embodying one aspect of the present invention is rotatable relative to a suspended stationary member for the convenience of the user in selecting the specific portion of the unit through which access is desired. Because the unit is suspended by tension lines in an advantageous pattern, the forces resultant from gravitation exerted on the unit keep the unit stable. Additionally, the elevation of the storage unit can be selected by the user as desired by setting the length of the supporting tension lines.
In a further embodiment of the invention, a non-rotatable storage unit is suspended from an overhead structure such as a ceiling. This unit may be positioned such that it is centrally located in a room to provide access to its storage compartments from all sides. Because the unit is elevated, it does not occupy floor space in a room, and the weight of the unit keeps its supporting lines taut to enhance overall stability.
Accordingly, the suspended storage unit embodying the invention to be described herein overcomes the problems of access and stability inherent in the conventional type storage units discussed above and provides an attractive appearance.